Castle Rock Trail

Castle Rock Trail is a 8.7 mile out and back trail located near Blue River, OR that features a great forest setting and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible from May until October. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.

8.7 miles2431 feetOut & Back

dogs on leash

hiking

mountain biking

nature trips

trail running

walking

forest

views

muddy

Easy hike through Douglas Fir forest. From the top you can see the McKenzie River Valley as well as the Three Sisters.
This hike is listed as easy and can be done with children. You hike through a Douglas fir forest with some interesting rock formations as well. From the top you can see the McKenzie River Valley as well as the Three Sisters.

Amazing views! The trail was well marked and groomed. It's quite a subtle climb, but only being a 1.25 mile trail there are no mile markers to let you know how much farther you have to go. But once you reach the top the view is completely worth it! The road getting up to the trail head is a dirt logging road with active logging equipment along the way, so please watch out for the workers. And the "parking lot" at the trail head is tiny, and requires you to do a 3 point turn around to get out. But overall an excellent well hidden hike!

We started this hike at the trailhead that's four miles up good-quality gravel Forest Road 480 (O'Leary Road) at its junction with FR 490. From that trailhead to the top is 2 mi, and about 1300 feet of elevation. If you continue to the end of O'Leary Road, there is another trailhead that is 1.25 mi to the top and about 600 feet of elevation. The trail is relentlessly upward at a steep but not terrible grade, and mostly very well marked. Starting at the upper trailhead you get little peeks of the Sisters through the continuous forest cover. About a half mile past the upper trailhead the rock formations that give the mountain its name begin, and follow you until you get near the summit, where they protect a little oak savannah area. And the summit is what you've been waiting for -- a nearly full-circle view of Cascades to the south and southwest, the McKenzie Valley to the north, and the Three Sisters to the East. As a bonus, Mt Washington is poking out from behind a ridge on the north side of the valley. A breathtaking view and a short, scenic hike that's easy for anyone who isn't too out of shape. Spectacular.